Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of a bacterial adhesion associated protein, and the gene encoding such protein. More particularly, the invention relates to a pneumococcal peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase involved in bacterial adherence. The invention also relates to identification and development of agents to provide protection from bacterial infection based on this protein. The invention provides nucleic acids encoding the peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase, as well as methods for identifying antagonists of the methionine sulfoxide reductase. The present invention further demonstrates that peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase is an adhesion-associated protein in various Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and accordingly provides for interference with the peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase to inhibit bacterial adherence to host tissues.

Abstract: A cholesterol oxidase having a particular amino acid sequence and having a high substrate affinity and a working pH in an acidic range is produced by Brevibacterium sterolicum.

Abstract: This invention relates to a DNA shown by SEQ ID No. 1 and an amino acid sequence coded by said DNA. This invention also relates to a DNA and an amino acid sequence of subunit a of (1.fwdarw.3)-.beta.-D-glucan sensitive factor derived from amebocytes of horseshoe crab and have potent affinity to (1.fwdarw.3)-.beta.-D-glucan in cell walls of fungi. Therefore, the invention is useful for the diagnosis of fungal diseases and as antimicrobial or eradicating agent of fungi in combination with an antifungal agent.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence that constitutes a portion of urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) and which has no antigenicity against human and high activity to inhibit various proteases, as well as other novel polypeptides having excellent activities to inhibit various proteases obtained by mutation of the former novel polypeptide. This invention also provides novel enzyme inhibition processes, drug compositions and treating methods making use of the novel polypeptide, DNA fragments containing nucleotide sequences which encode the novel polypeptides, vectors containing the DNA fragments and transformants transformed with the DNA fragments or the vectors, as well as processes for the production of the novel polypeptides.

Abstract: A novel secreted protein, BA3.1, is disclosed. Polynucleotides encoding BA3.1 are also provided.

Abstract: A method for the production of a cellulosic product, which comprises:culturing a cellulose-producing microorganism transformed with a gene for an enzyme involved in sucrose metabolism in a medium containing sucrose, allowing the cellulosic product to be produced and accumulated in the medium, and collecting the cellulosic product. By the present method, the cellulosic product can be produced efficiently and economically.

Abstract: Thioredoxin, a small dithiol protein, is a specific reductant for major allergenic proteins present in widely used foods from animal and plant sources. All targeted allergenic proteins contain disulfide (S--S) bonds that are reduced to the sulfhydryl (SH) level by thioredoxin. The proteins are allergenically active in the oxidized (S--S) state. When reduced (SH state), they lose their allergenicity. Thioredoxin achieved this reduction when activated (reduced) either by NADPH via NADP-thioredoxin reductase (physiological conditions) or by dithiothreitol, a chemical reductant. Skin tests and feeding experiments carried out with sensitized dogs showed that treatment of the food with reduced thioredoxin prior to ingestion eliminated or decreased the allergenicity of the food.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of treatment of waste water which is characterized by removal of both organic substances and phosphorus from phosphorus-containing organic waste water by novel microorganisms that are fortified in phosphorus-incorporating and/or accumulating abilities.

Abstract: A purified thermostable enzyme is derived from the archael bacterium AEPII1a. The enzyme has a molecular weight of about 60.9 kilodaltons and has cellulase activity. The enzyme can be produced from native or recombinant host cells and can be used to aid in the digestion of cellulose where desired.

Abstract: The invention relates to sucrose isomerases, to DNA sequences coding therefor, and to novel processes for the production of non-cariogenic sugars.

Abstract: A process for producing high purity 6,12-dideoxyerythromycin A using recombinant DNA technology is disclosed. The erythromycin producing strain, Saccharopolyspora erythraea, lacking the erythromycin C-12 and C-6 hydroxylases produces a mixture of 6,12-dideoxyerythromycin A and the precursor molecule, 6-deoxyerythromycin D. To achieve conversion of the precursor to the final product, a second copy of eryG is inserted into a non-essential region of the Sac. erythraea chromosome resulting in high purity 6,12-dideoxyerythromycin A.

Abstract: Yeast is transformed so that it is capable of expressing the enzymes phosphogluconate dehydratase and 2-keto-3-deoxygluconate 6-phosphate aldolase; whereby, in fermention, a sugar can be converted to pyruvate via the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. Recombinant DNA encodes the enzymes defined above, and includes one or more sequences which promote transcription and translation of the enzymes in yeast.

Abstract: Methods for assessing libraries of candidate modulators of intracellular signaling transmission pathways are described. The methods assess the ability of candidates from the library to inhibit the binding of peptides which represent participants in the signaling pathways as either a signal-generating protein or its cognate partner binding at a noncatalytic site. Specific peptides useful in this regard have been identified.

Abstract: Disclosed are substatially pure preparations of Max-Interacting (Mxi) polypeptides, DNA encoding such polypeptides, antibodies recognizing such polypeptides, and diagnostic and therapeutic methods utilizing such polypeptides.

Abstract: The invention concerns genes encoding recombinases that can be used to promote homologous recombination in eukaryotic cells and expression vectors that can be used to transiently express recombinases in target cells. One embodiment of the invention encompasses genetically engineered nucleic acids that encode a non-naturally occurring recombinase that causes a greater rate of recombination than does the naturally occurring recombinase. Recombinases from Ustilago maydis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae are specifically included in the invention.

Abstract: DNA isolates coding for enkephalinase and methods of obtaining such DNA are provided, together with expression systems for recombinant production of enkephalinase for use in therapeutic or diagnostic compositions. Enkephalinase assays are facilitated by novel enkephalinase substrates.

Abstract: A highly efficient overexpression system for phytase and pH 2.5 acid phosphatase in Trichoderma is described. This system results in enzyme compositions that are especially useful in the animal feed industry.

Abstract: The present invention discloses that the fyn protein binds to the PKC-theta protein. Based on this observation, the present invention provides methods of identifying agents which can be used to modulate immune system activity by blocking fyn/PKC-theta binding and therapeutic methods using such agents.

Abstract: The present invention provides two novel human cathepsin proteins (HCPs) and polynucleotides encoding HCPs. The invention provides for genetically engineered expression vectors and host cells comprising the nucleic acid sequence encoding HCPs. The invention also provides for the production and use of antibodies to HCPs in pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of disease processes that include cancers, inflammation, metastasis and peptide and proenzyme processing. In addition, the invention provides for the production and use of inhibitors of HSPs in pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of diseases. The invention also describes diagnostic assays which utilize the polynucleotide to hybridize with the transcripts encoding HCPs. The invention also provides for the use of antisense molecules in pharmaceutical compositions as a therapeutics in cancers, inflammation, metastasis and peptide and proenzyme processing.

Abstract: There is provided an assay of enhanced sensitivity for the qualitative and quantitative determination of haptens. These may be assayed entities such as antigens, antibodies, a wide variety of biologically active proteins. The novel assay of increased sensitivity is based on the formation of a complex of the entity to be measured with another entity, tagging this conjugate with a oxidizing entity, reacting the resultant entity with a redox substrate to form a product which is photosensitive and irradiating same thus enhancing the sensitivity of the assay. Colored or fluorescent products give highly sensitive results. According to a preferred embodiment the oxidized entity is reacted with a non-ionic detergent, enhancing the resulting fluorescence.